Lubricant apparatus for the dies of brick-machines.



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Patented Sept; "5,1902."

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I I H. K. KING. LUBRICANT APPARATUS FOR THE DI EISVOF BRICK MACHINES.

(Application filed. Sept. 29, 1896.)

I No. 709,097.

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mm (1? kw 6 No. 709,097. Patented Sept. [6, I902.

- H. K. KING.

LUBRICANT APPARATUS FOR THE DIES 0F BRICK MACHINES. (Applicatibn med Sept. 29, 1896.]

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Rs :0. FHOTD LITNO.. WASHINGTON u c UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

IIOWARD K. KING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CHAMBERS BROTHERS COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVA- NIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

LUBRICANT APPARATUS FOR THE DIES OF BRICK-MACHINES,

MPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,097, dated September 16, 1902.

Application filed September 29, 1896. Serial No. 607,328. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, HOWARD K. KING, a citizen of the United States, residingin the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Lubricant Liquids to the Dies of Brick- Machines and for otherPurposes, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which-- Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation, partly broken away, showing also the connection with the die-of a brick-machine, the latter being on a reduced scale. Fig. 2 is a section, as on line v *0, Fig. l, certain parts being omitted; Fig. 3, Sheet 2, a front elevation, partly broken away; Fig. 4, a section on line to to, Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a horizontal section on line or as, Fig. 2, certain parts being omitted; Fig. 6, a horizontal section on line y y, Fig. 2, parts being omitted; Fig. 7, an elevation, broken off, of the spring-supporting post, enlarged from Fig. 3; Fig. 8, a horizontal section on line ,2 2, Fig. 7, and as on line .2 2, Fig. 3, enlarged.

The general nature of this invention is an apparatus or mechanism in the nature of a pump for supplying andforcing oil or other fluid to a chamber or conduit under pressure wherein a certain quantity of the fluid is required to be forced, but which quantity is variable.

The special character of the invention as I have applied the same in practice is a mechanism for supplying oil or other lubricant fluid to the dies (or formers) of that class of brick-making machines wherein the clay is forced out through the die under considerable and varying pressure, whereby the resistance of the clay in its passage will be lessened.

Heretofore the most approved way of supplying the oil to the die or former of a brickmachine of the class recited was to force the oil from a reservoir into a pipe that led to the interior of the die or former by means of a weighted piston or plunger within said reservoir, the pressure upon the oil being adj usted as might be required by changing the weights, and it was also necessary to remove the latter in order to recharge the reservoir.

The immediate object of my invention is to providean apparatus that will supply from a suitable receptacle containing the oil or other lubricant only such quantity of the latter as may be necessary or available at any instant in the working of the brick-machine, and that is to a certain extent, self-adjustingthat is to say, it will automatically maintain a certain continuous flow ofthe oilinto the die of the m achiue sufficient for the purpose of lubrication of the contact-surfaces of the die and the body of clay advancing through the latter at a speed and under a pressure that may vary from time to time within certain limits.

Tothis end my invention consists in the combination of a piston working in a chamher that communicates or is adapted to communicate with an oilcontaining reservoir and with the interior of the die or former of the brick-machine, or preferably with an airchamber which communicates also with such die or former, suitable check-valves in the inlet and outlet passage-ways, respectively, of the piston-chamber, a spring or equivalent device adapted to actuate the piston in one direction, and means, such as a movable cam or the like, for actuating the piston in the opposite direction against the stress of the spring, the construction and organization of these parts being such, as hereinafter described, that each actuation of the piston by the spring will force a quantity of the lubricant from the said piston-chamber into the die or former, and the alternating positive actuation of the piston will draw a quantum of oil from the said reservoir into the chamber to replenish that being consumed at the die or former, the length of the stroke or movement of the piston necessarily varying according to the quantity of the lubricant that is consumed.

The invention consists, also, in the combination, with the foregoing parts, of means for adjusting the stress or resistance of the said spring, whereby the pressure of the spring upon the piston in forcing oil into the airchamber may be varied or adjusted as circumstances require.

The invention consists, further, in certain details of construction hereinafter duly pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which represent the construction which I have practically and successfully em ployed, 1 marks the general framework, and 2 the main body of the apparatus to which the working parts are connected or by which they are supported. In this body is a chamber 3, in which is a vertically-movable piston or plunger 4.

5 is a conduit leading from an oil-containing reservoir (not shown) to the interior chamber 3. In the end of the said conduit adjacent to the latter is a check or back-pressure valve 6, of usual construction, that normally closes the passage-waybetween the conduit and the chamber. In the upper wall of the latter is a passage-way 7, leading from the chamber to an air-chamber 8, closed at the top, but having a pipe 9 at or near its bottom, that leads to the interior of the die or former 10, Fig. 1, of the brick-machine. It is unnecessary to describe the particular construction or form of inlet in the die with which the pipe 9 connects and whereby the oil is caused to come into contact with the entire or a particular part of the surface of the bar or body of clay being forced through the die, as these are well known. In the passageway 7 is also a normally closed valve 11, similar to valve 6.

12 is a shaft suitably journaled in the frame and body of the apparatus and adapted to be continuously driven-that is, rotated from a source of power. It has fixed thereto an cecentric 13, which in the rotation of the shaft is adapted to impinge against the free end of an arm 14, or rather, preferably, against a roller 15, pivoted thereon, the other end of the arm being pivoted to a leg 16, Fig. 3, depending from the body 2 of the apparatus. To the said arm, which, as seen, extends beneath the piston at, is pivoted a rod 17, whose upper end is connected to the piston.

Secured to the top of the body 2 isa tubular post 18, whose vertical axis is in line substantially with that of the piston. Inclosing this post, toward the upper part thereof, is a loose sleeve 19, to which are secured, on opposite sides, rods 20, whose lower ends are connected tolateral projections 21 from thepistonrod. Within the post 18 is a rod 22, that extends beyond the top of the post and has fixed to it a hand-wheel 23 for conveniently rotating the rod. The lower portion of the latter is provided with a screw-thread and carries a correspondingly-threaded nut 24 within the post, with oppositelugs 25, projecting through vertical slots 26 in the post. 27 is an annulus which rests upon these lugs and is capable of sliding upon post 18. 28 is an open helical spring around the latter, whose lower extremity bears against the top of said annulus and its upper extremity against the lower side of the sleeve 19.

Having thus described the construction of the apparatus, I shall now proceed to explain the mode of operation as follows, assuming that the shaft is in motion and the eccentric and other parts of the apparatus are in the relative position shown in the drawings: As the shaft rotates the eccentric will impinge against the roller 15 of the pivoted arm 14:, and so push down the free end of the latter, and consequently, owing to the aforesaid rod connections, the piston descends against the resistance of the spring, which, it will be remembered, bears against the sleeve 19 and the annulus 27, that is, in effect, supported by the rod 22 within post 18. The descent of the piston tending to create a vacuum within chamber 3 causes the valve 6 to rise, and so oil to enter the chamber. The upper valve 11 will then be closed. As the shaft continues to rotate the piston will be drawn up by the stress of the spring which has been compressed when the piston descended, and as this reciprocatory motion continues the chamber will be pumped full of oil, and finally a portion of the latter will be forced into the lower part of the air-chamber 8, thence into the pipe 9, leading to the die of the brick-machine. As the pump continues to work the oil at the die end of the pipe meets the body of clay advancing under heavy pressure within the die. As soon as the oil meets the resistance of the clay bar the oil being pumped by the piston will rise into the chamber 8 against the resistance of the air therein contained; but when the pressure is sufficient to counteract or overcome that of the clay bar the oil will then be supplied to and lubricate the latter. The normal tension of the spring or that to which it is adjusted is such that when the brick-machine and the cam-shaft 12 are put in operation the resistance at the oilinlet of the die and theconsequent backpressure on the piston holds the latter down, and consequently the free end of the arm 14, a certain distance, which then causes the cam 13 in its rotation to impart a medium length of stroke to the piston. If now the body of clay passing through the die should for any .reason, such as from becoming comparately soft, move more rapidly through the die, obviously more oil will be consumed, whereupon the piston, by the stress of the spring, will correspondingly rise, carrying with it the roller 15 on the free end of arm 14, and thus bringing the roller and arm nearer to the axis of the cam-shaft, and s0 manifestly lengthening the downstroke of the piston and correspondingly increasing the inflow of oil into the chamber to compensate for the outflow into the die. If, however, the clay should for some reason, such as becoming comparatively hard, move with decreased speed through the die, a less quantity of oil will be consumed, whereupon the back pressure of the oil will hold down the piston, and this movement, carrying roller 15 farther away from the axis of the camshaft, diminishes the effective stroke of the cam, and so causes the piston to draw a correspondingly-diminished quantum of oil into the chamber. In this way the apparatus automatically adjusts itself to the requirements of the moment with respect to maintaining the requisite supply of oil in accordance with the quantity consumed by the brick-machine. In order to secure the best results, I make the spring of considerable length, so that there will be as little variation, ordinarily, as possible in its tension, as it lengthens and shortens in its movements. In practice the piston has but a short throw or rangeof movement, merely sufficient to accomplish the purpose of pumping and forcing the necessary quantity of the lubricant to maintain the proper supply to the die or former at the TIlfiXlmum consumption with a given speed of rotation of the cam-shaft. In using the apparatus in connection with brick-machines it is necessary that the pressure or force of the lubricant entering the die shall be such as to lubricate the surface of the moving clay and not so great as to cause the lubricant to cut into the latter, as in such case the bar issuing from the die will be marred or houeycoinbed.

, be necessary, by turning the hand-wheel 23,

and consequently the threaded rod 22, upon which travels the nut 24. According as the latter is raised or lowered the annulus 27 is shifted on the post 18, and thus the tension of the spring, and consequentlyits stress upon the piston, will be increased or diminished.

The purpose of the air-chamber, which may be dispensed with at a considerable disadvantage, however, is to cause a yielding pressure upon the oil, and thus an equalizing effectwithin the pipe 9. I usually connect with the latter a suitable gage 29, Fig. 1, for the purpose of indicating the pressure within the pipe. I also sometimes mark graduationlines 30, indicative of the tension of the spring, upon the post 18, adjacent to the slot 26 therein, and provide the lug 25 witha pointer 31, as shown in Fig. 7.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction or arrangement of the several parts or elements of my invention shown in the drawings, as the same may be considerably varied without departing from the essential principle thereof.

Although I have not had occasion to usemy invention in connection with other than brickmachines, it is obviously useful in connection with other similar machines in which plastic materials are forced through dies under considerable pressure, and although I have not used the same for any other purpose than in connection with a brick-machine I believe the invention to be adaptable for use generally where it is desired to maintain automatically a practically-continuous flow of a liquid under a pressure or speed of movement that varies from time to time within certain limits.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a machine or apparatus of the character and for the purpose recited, the combination of the piston adapted to workin asuitable chamber, the inlet and outlet openings in the latter, the respective check-valves therein, the air-chamber communicating with said outlet-opening, and adapted to communicate with the die of a brick-machine or the like, the pivoted arm connected to the piston, the post mounted above the latter, the screwthreaded rod therein, the nut on said rodl provided with the projecting lugs, the sleeve on said post and connected with the piston, the tension-spring between said sleeve and lugs, together with the rotatable shaft and the eccentric thereon adapted to impinge against the said arm, during a part of each revolu tion of the shaft and thereby actuate the piston against the stress of said spring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2., In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a piston-chamber, of a piston arranged and adapted to reciprocate therein, a shaft,an operating device carried by said shaft, a pivoted arm connected to said piston and adapted to be contacted by said operating device for actuating the piston in one direction, a post carried by the piston-chamber, a sleeve encircling said post and slidably mounted thereon, a spring also encircling said post and exerting its tension to force said sleeve away from the pistonchamber, and rods carried by said sleeve and connected to the piston, whereby said spring is adapted to operate said piston in opposition tothe actuation of the operating device.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a piston-chamber, of a piston arranged and adapted to reciprocate therein, a shaft, an operating device carried by said shaft, a pivoted arm connected to said piston and adapted to be contacted by said operating device for actuating the piston in one direction, a post carried by the piston-chamber, a sleeve encircling said post and slidably mounted thereon, a spring also encircling said post and exerting its tension to force said sleeve away from the pistonchamber, rods carried by said sleeve and connected to the piston, whereby said spring is adapted to operate said piston in opposition to the actuation of the operating device, and means for regulating the tension of said spring.

4. In an apparatus of the character deher, of a piston arranged and adapted to reciprocate therein, a shaft, an operating device carried by said shaft, a pivoted arm connected to said piston and adapted to be contacted by said operating device for actuating the piston in one direction, a tubular post carried by the piston-chamber and provided at its sides with slots, a sleeve encircling said post and slidably mounted thereon, a threaded rod rotatabl y mounted in said post, a nut mounted upon said rod and provided with lugs projecting through the slots of said post,

a spring encircling said post and interposed between said sleeve and the lugs of said nut, said spring exerting its tension to force said sleeve away from the piston chamber, and connections between said sleeve and the piston, whereby said spring is adapted to operate said piston in opposition to the actuation of the operating device.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a piston-chamber, of a piston arranged and adapted to reciprocate therein, a shaft, an operating device carried by said shaft, a pivoted arm connected to said piston and adapted to be contacted by said operating device for actuating the piston in one direction, a tubular post carried by the piston-chamber and provided in its sides with slots, a sleeve encircling said post and slidably mounted thereon, a threaded rod rotatably mounted in said post, a hand-wheel carried by said rod for rotating the same, a nut mounted upon said rod and provided with lugs projecting through the slots of said post, a spring encircling said post and interposed between said sleeve and the lugs of said nut, said spring exerting its tension to force said sleeve away from the piston chamber, and connections between said sleeve and the piston, whereby said spring is adapted to operate said piston in opposition to the actuation of the operating device.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a piston-chamber havinginlet and outlet valves, and an airchamber mounted on said piston-chamber, of a piston arranged and adapted to reciprocate in the piston-chamber, a shaft, an operating device carried by said shaft, a pivoted arm connected to said piston and adapted to be contacted by said operating device for actuating the piston in one direction, a tubular post carried by the piston-chamber and provided in its sides with slots, asleeve encircling said post and slidably mounted thereon, a threaded rod rotatably mounted in said post, a threaded nut mounted upon said rod and provided with lugs projecting through the slots of said post,aspringencircling said post and interposed between said sleeve and the lugs of said nut, said spring exerting its tension to force said sleeve away from the pistonchamber,and connections between said sleeve and the piston, whereby said spring is adapted to operate said piston in opposition to the actuation of the operating device.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signaturein the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOWARD K. KING. 

